Chimera
by Daelie
Summary: GH/Days::: Several Salem residents move to Port Charles. Story focuses primarily on the teens, twenty-somethings, & eventually Jax/Alexis.
1. Chapter 1

For background information:  
  
iChimera: n. an illusion or fabrication of the mind; an unrealizable dream/i  
  
The red convertible sped down the open highway as it passed the New York state border. While the car's driver found the warm August sun to be almost refreshing, his more pampered passenger felt differently.  
  
Reapplying her sun block to her bare arms, Cassie muttered, "I can't believe this is happening to us."  
  
Never taking his eyes off the road, Rex stoically replied, "We're going to get through this Cassie. No matter what happens, you and I will stick together." Those were words the young man truly meant. Regardless of the situation or circumstances, Rex had never abandoned his sister, and he knew he never could. Losing Cassie would be indistinguishable from losing a vital part of himself.  
  
Cassie's crimson red lips formed themselves into a distinctive frown as she pouted, "It was bad enough finding out that Roman Brady was our father . . . but finding out that our own mother didn't even want to meet us - that was way worse."  
  
Rex remained silent as he continued to navigate the late model BMW convertible along the highway. It was really the only thing Rex had allowed himself to keep when he abandoned the role of DiMera heir.  
  
Continuing with her gloomy rant, Cassie said, "Honestly, it is so unfair that when we finally find out who our real mother is, she won't even take the time to meet us. Instead, she sends us off to meet the rest of her family." A look similar to disgust washed over Cassie as she speculated, "I bet these people are going to be total losers, Rex. They'll probably live in some shack in the hills and make us sleep in the barn with the livestock."  
  
"Cassie, enough," Rex sternly reprimanded. "Our imother/i said that her family would be expecting us and that they would make appropriate accommodations. I'm sure everything will be fine."  
  
Feeling a little hurt by Rex's lack of compassion, Cassie muttered, "I still don't see why we couldn't have just stayed in Salem. We already had a life there. Now, we're going to have to start all over. What if people in Port Charles think we're total freaks?"  
  
Rex's voice was much softer as he answered, "They won't. In fact, I bet you will make a ton of new friends when you start classes at PCU." Knowing his sister's weakest area, Rex added, "And, I'm sure all the guys will be fighting over who gets to take you out first."  
  
"You think?" Cassie questioned, optimism beginning to appear in her eyes.  
  
"I know it."  
  
center~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~/center  
  
Gently throwing his fist down on the wet bar, Edward Quartermaine suggested, "I say we lock the door and pretend to have left the country. Surely whatever horrid offspring Tracy brought into the world will just go back to wherever it is they're coming from. I refuse to let a pair of preteen misfits into my home."  
  
Monica sighed dramatically before declaring, "First, Edward, this is my house. Second, from what Tracy said when she called, this boy and girl aren't exactly a pair of junior high students. She made it sound as if they were a little older than Dillon."  
  
"Well, that's just perfect," sarcastically muttered the older man. "They'll probably expect this family to pay for their college education. Well, they've got another thing coming. I refuse to pay for the education of a pair of hoodlums."  
  
"As usual, Grandfather, you're making a fool of yourself," proclaimed Ned as he entered the living room. Sitting down on the sofa by a clearly uncomfortable Emily, Ned continued, "My mother has already abandoned these kids before she even met them. We are not going to do the same. So, listen carefully, Grandfather. I want you to treat the twins like a grandfather should treat his grandchildren - with love and respect."  
  
Joining in the usual Quartermaine banter, Alan added, "After all, what would mother say if she heard you?"  
  
"Alan has a point," Monica acknowledged. "Lila has already said that Tracy's children are to be treated like the rest of the family. She's even instructed Reginald to go ahead and prepare their rooms."  
  
Entering the living area in her typical manner of superiority, Skye took an inquisitive glance around the crowded room. Ned and Emily, the least outlandish of the clan, were seated on the sofa. In nearby chairs, Alan and Monica sat with identical scowls. A.J. was propping himself up aside the fireplace as though the conversation at hand bored him to tears. Meanwhile, Edward was pacing around like a caged animal and young Dillon was perched atop an end table checking his voice messages.  
  
Skye shut the door with unneeded noise to announce her presence. Rather causally she asked, "What's going on in here? Don't tell me it's another family meeting."  
  
"Actually it is," Alan answered.  
  
Skye approached the sofa and sat down in the free space beside Ned. Looking around the room at the people she once considered her family, Skye stated, "I was only out of town on business for a week. What could I have missed?"  
  
With a wry smile, Ned answered, "The emergence of my new brother and sister."  
  
From near the fireplace, A.J. grumbled to himself, "I can already feel my inheritance shrinking."  
  
"Wait, what brother and sister?" Skye helplessly stammered.  
  
Shaking his hand in the air as though he were physically dismissing the subject, Edward said, "None of that matters. We're just going to have to accept that Tracy is yet again unloading her children on this family."  
  
"Gee, thanks for the reminder," muttered Dillon before leaving the room.  
  
"What? What did I say?"  
  
center~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~/center  
  
Mimi Lockhart softly knocked on her best friend's door. Slowly pushing it open, Mimi said, "Belle, are you in here? Your mom let me in."  
  
As discreetly as possible, Belle wiped away her tears. Sitting up on her bed, she said, "Hi, Meems."  
  
A weak smile graced Mimi's lips as she stated, "I ran into Shawn at Dotcom earlier. Are you okay?" Even as the question was leaving her lips, Mimi knew the answer. Between the earlier conversation with Shawn and Belle's hardly concealed tears, Mimi understood the true extent of the situation.  
  
For a moment, Belle considered lying, saying that all was well. Instead she chose to speak the truth. "No, not really. But, I know I will be."  
  
"That's my girl," encouraged Mimi as she plopped down beside Belle. "You want to talk about it?"  
  
"There's really not much to tell. As usual Shawn and I got into some stupid argument. Only, this time, we realized that it should be the last one. It seems like things would be going really great for a few weeks, then everything would just fall apart. I couldn't take it anymore, and it was obvious that Shawn was tired of it, too."  
  
"What was the final argument about?" Mimi recognized that the question was clearly on the invasive side, but she could not stop herself from asking. Shawn had only said that he and Belle were finally giving up because there was really nothing left to fight for - they only had each other to fight iwith/i.  
  
Shaking her head, Belle angrily muttered, "It was so stupid. Shawn had the nerve to accuse me of having feelings for iPhilip/i! Can you believe that? He completely blew up when he found out that I'd known Philip was working with the ISA and didn't tell him. He was even more furious when I told him that I'd helped Philip use him to bring down the smuggling ring."  
  
Stopping just briefly, Belle took a moment to compose herself. Feeling that she had successfully fought back the tears, Belle continued, "Shawn said that I had lied to him and helped Philip because I was falling in love with him."  
  
Her curiosity once again winning over her tact, Mimi bluntly asked, "Are you?"  
  
"No!" Belle exclaimed a little too quickly. "That's not what Philip and I are like. We're friends. That's it."  
  
"I really wish there was something I could do," empathized Mimi. "Especially with everything going on."  
  
Belle's sadness diminished just slightly as her curiosity increased. "What do you mean with everything going on? Is there something I don't know about?"  
  
Though everything within her wanted to gush about the decision she had made, Mimi forced herself to remain somber and supportive of Belle. "It's nothing you should worry about tonight. You've got so much going on."  
  
"Mimi, please don't treat me like I'm going to crumble just because Shawn Brady is no longer my boyfriend. I am capable of taking care of myself, you know. So, tell me the truth, is there something that I haven't been told?"  
  
"Yeah, there is. Something that's going to change my life."  
  
A sense of worry joined the curiosity Belle was already feeling. "Meems, what is going on?"  
  
Unable to control her smile, Mimi announced, "I'm moving halfway across the country!"  
  
"You're iwhat/i?"  
  
"Moving - to New York to be exact."  
  
Fighting against the disbelief that assaulted her, Belle inquired, "Mimi, why would you want to drop out of school and leave Salem?" A sudden clearing of thoughts overtook Belle. "This is about Rex, isn't it?"  
  
Again, Mimi felt herself controlled by her smile. "Belle, I'm totally in love with him. And, he feels that way about me, too."  
  
"You two really got serious over the summer," Belle speculated, pushing her own romantic troubles aside.  
  
"Yeah, we did. But, Belle, you have to understand that I'm not just quitting school and chasing after him. In fact, before I came over, I was on the phone with the admissions office at Port Charles University. You, Belle Black, are looking at its newest transfer student."  
  
"Oh, my God. Meems, you're really serious about this."  
  
"Yep. Even though it means having to take out another student loan, the school's housing office was able to find a free room in one of the dorms."  
  
Pulling her friend into a hug, Belle said, "I am so happy for you. You know exactly what you want in life and exactly where you're going." After a pause Belle added, "I wish I was more like you."  
  
"You wish you were more like me. Puh-leeze! I have always wanted to be more like you." Mimi offered Belle a reassuring smile and silently acknowledged that she had never spoken truer words. For as long as she could remember, she had all but idolized her best friend. Belle Black had set the standard no matter the state of affairs. Glancing at her watch, Mimi realized just how late it was getting. "Are you going to be okay if I head home to start packing?"  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
Mimi was halfway to the door when she turned around and rushed back to her friend. Pulling Belle into a tight hug, Mimi gushed, "You have always been the most awesome friend a girl could have. I'm going to miss you so much."  
  
Once again, Belle felt tears filling her eyes. In the course of a mere twelve hours, she had lost her boyfriend and her best friend. Yet, Belle was able to see that Shawn needed free of their relationship and Mimi needed free of Salem. Despite her own sadness, Belle understood that both Shawn and Mimi had let go of their pasts so they could fully embrace their futures. It was a step that commanded both her respect and her envy.  
  
In a whisper, Belle replied, "I'm going to miss you, too."  
  
center~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~/center  
  
More than just a minor amount of fury was evident in Nicole's eyes. In her most venomous tone, she spat, "I hate you, Victor."  
  
The older man chose to ignore his wife as he ventured into the dining room for dinner that Thursday evening.  
  
Trailing close behind her husband, Nicole loudly demanded, "Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you. I'm warning you, Victor!"  
  
Victor instantly stopped in his tracks. Quickly turning to face Nicole, he roughly grabbed her arm and mocked, "You're warning me? Don't flatter yourself."  
  
Just as suddenly as he took hold of Nicole, Victor released her. As he confidently walked away, Victor asked, "What are you going to do? Try to kill me . . . again?" Upon entering the dining room, Victor calmly sat down at the head of the table. "Honestly, Mrs. Kiriakis, your vain attempts to take my life are becoming rather predictable. This latest fiasco with Larry Welch was surely the most transparent. You must learn to plan these things out better."  
  
"Plan what things out better?" Brady questioned as he entered the room.  
  
Lying as though it was the most natural of actions, Victor answered, "Nicole wanted to completely redecorate the study. However, when she began making her purchases she failed to set a reasonable budget. I was just telling her that it would be far better if she planned these things out before she actually bought anything."  
  
Brady carefully watched Nicole as she sat down across from him at the table. Since he moved into the mansion in mid-summer, Brady had become accustomed to Nicole and Victor's unorthodox behavior around one another. As he silently analyzed Nicole's current conduct, Brady came to the conclusion that his grandfather was lying - yet again.  
  
Guiding the conversation away from his discussion with Nicole, Victor said, "So, Brady, how are things proceeding with Titan's music division?"  
  
There was a clear intent by Brady avoid Victor's expectant gaze. As one of the servants brought out dinner, Brady answered, "Too be honest, it's not going as well as I had planned."  
  
"How so?" Victor implored with little or not interest.  
  
"Well, for starters, I'm barely breaking even. And, I don't expect a real profit any time in the foreseeable future." Sighing with both frustration and regret, Brady admitted, "I'm just not sure if I was really ready to start my own music business. I think I may have jumped in a little too quickly."  
  
Victor stabbed his fork into his steak and responded, "If you don't want the job, Brady, just say so. I'll find someone else to take care of it."  
  
"I don't want to disappoint you, Grandfather. But, yeah, maybe it would be best if I let someone else handle Titan's music division."  
  
Truly unconcerned with Brady's dilemma, Victor answered, "Then, consider it done. We'll just find a position at Titan that you think you'd be better suited for."  
  
Nicole slammed her hands down on the table and exclaimed, "I knew it! You're going to hand over my old job to him!"  
  
"Relax," Brady commanded with a roll of his icy blue eyes. "I don't want your old position at Titan." Turning to his grandfather, Brady continued, "That's just it. I went straight from a job my dad gave me at his company to one you gave me at Titan. I guess I just need to find out what I can accomplish on my own."  
  
"Well, I hope you'll at least agree to stay here at the mansion while you work out all the details."  
  
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to have to think it over before agreeing. I'm going to step outside and get some air." With that, Brady left the table without ever having touched his dinner. Like so many others, Brady had to decide where he really wanted his life to be going - and how to get there. 


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I don't know how everyone else feels about all the recent cast changes at GH, but I wasn't exactly thrilled by most of them (I was one of those people that thought Jacob Young & Coltin Scott were awesome as Lucky & Nikolas. So, a lot of the things I write about those characters will probably show a greater reflection on the previous actors rather than the current ones - not that I have anything against Greg V. or Tyler C!!! Both are great actors!)  
  
I can't help but feel that the Gia-recast fiasco was the beginning of the end for my GH viewing days. And, that is the motive behind this chapter. I just think that recasting Gia was a bad idea. If TPTB wanted to completely alter her personality and characteristics, why not just write Gia off and create a new character? Alas, I have not the answers. LOL  
  
Anyway, enough of my whining about the recasts over at General Hospital. Now, I'll complain about the recasts at Days . . . . just kidding. Here's the story:  
  
Chimera: Chapter 2  
  
The setting sun set the evening sky ablaze behind the mansion. Pulling his car to a stop in the front drive, Rex cast a weary glance at the scarlet sky that was a backdrop for the elegant Quartermaine home.  
  
Cassie chose to ignore the sinister look of the sunset as she stepped out of the vehicle. Her gaze resting on the large mansion, she muttered, "Okay, so maybe our new family members aren't exactly hillbillies who'll stick us outside with the animals."  
  
Rex found that he had no real response for Cassie's comment. For the first time since he and his sister had decided to leave Salem, Rex truly felt intimidated. Yet, he knew there was no turning back. The past and all its misconceptions were behind him . . . and there was no going back. The path of life could lead him in only one direction - forward.  
  
Not bothering with the luggage that was stored in the trunk, Rex began to slowly walk toward the portentous front door. As expected, his sister followed a few feet behind him. Just as the apprehensive duo where within ten feet of the entrance, the door was flung open.  
  
"Sorry, Grandfather, but I'm not one of your possessions," yelled the young man in the doorway. "And, if I want to go hang out with Mac Scorpio's daughter - you can't stop me!"  
  
Harshly slamming the front door as he stepped outside into the heated August evening, the young man finally took notice of his unexpected audience. Taking in the girl's vibrant hair color and the young man's skin tone and dark blonde locks that reminded him a little too much of his own, Dillon deduced, "Let me guess. You're the twins."  
  
Rex found himself far too much on edge to utilize the manners that he had cultured as the supposed son of Tony DiMera. "Who are you?"  
  
His guess affirmed by Rex's defensive nature, Dillon casually reached out his right hand and replied, "Dillon Quartermaine - another deserted child of our mother. Which, I guess, makes me your brother."  
  
Cassie smiled timidly at the teenager. "So, Tracy abandoned you, too?"  
  
Dillon motioned toward the mansion with a wide gesture of his arms. "Would I be here if she hadn't?"  
  
Unsure how to take Dillon's comment, Rex stated, "I suppose Cassie and I should go inside and introduce ourselves to the rest of the family."  
  
Dillon quickly blocked Rex and Cassie as they began to approach the front door once more. "Actually, they're not even expecting you guys for another hour or two. If you want, we can head into town and grab some chow before you make those introductions." Releasing a dry laugh, Dillon added, "Besides, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump into the insanity."  
  
"Insanity?" Cassie echoed. "I'm not sure I understand."  
  
"No," replied Dillon. "But, you will."  
  
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~  
  
Feeling a gentle tap on his shoulder, Zander Smith quickly looked up from his coffee. "Gia, hey . . . "  
  
Gia offered Zander a weak smile as she sat down on the stool beside him at Kelly's. It amazed Gia how rapidly her life had changed in the past year. Not too long ago she had been the Face of Deception and been engaged to the Cassadine heir. Next, her world had flipped upside down and she had turned back to her law studies and abandoned her engagement to Nikolas. Then, she'd found herself lured into some type of genuine friendship with Zander Smith. And, last but not least, she had begun to fall for the former drug dealer just as his first love Emily returned to him.  
  
Just as Gia was preparing to speak, Lucky Spencer stormed in the front door of Kelly's and unhappily plopped himself down on the free barstool beside Gia.  
  
Absorbing the perturbed look upon her once photographer's face, Gia remarked, "Why do I get the feeling I'm not the only one having a bad day?"  
  
Lucky didn't bother to smile as he carelessly tossed a letter onto the bar. As Gia hesitantly picked up the letter and began to read it, Lucky explained, "Apparently, Lydia and Nikolas found some loophole to get to the inheritance without actually having to get married. So, Lydia has already pranced back to Europe with no goodbye other than that note." Glancing over at Gia, Lucky muttered, "You should skim down to the last paragraph, that's where she says that even though she found me quite entertaining, she really couldn't endure Port Charles for another day now that she's free to return to Europe with her cash."  
  
Zander swallowed a drink of his steaming coffee and thought over Lucky's situation. "You probably don't want to hear this right now, but you're better off without her. That broad was way too high maintenance. Besides, I've never been very fond of redheads."  
  
As a silence overtook the trio, Gia decided that she might as well say what she had originally tracked Zander down to say. She kept her downhearted gaze on the countertop as she announced, "Lydia isn't the only one skipping town. I plan to leave Port Charles early tomorrow morning."  
  
Instantly, Zander and Lucky turned to face Gia in an almost synchronized manner. Certain that he was only misunderstanding Gia, Zander questioned, "What?"  
  
"I'm leaving Port Charles," Gia repeated. Looking up first at Zander then Lucky, Gia forced herself to hold back the tears. There was no way she was going to let those two guys see her cry. She had spent far too long upholding her unconcerned image to let the mask fall now. "I've decided that it would be best if I go back to Columbia to finish up law school." Gia returned her gaze to the countertop. "Besides, it's not like I have anything left in Port Charles. Marcus is no longer working here, and my mother is planning to go back to her job in Brooklyn."  
  
Asking the only question his mind could formulate, Lucky hesitantly demanded, "Have you told Nikolas?"  
  
"Would he even care if I did?" Gia frowned and released a grumbled profanity when Lucky gave her no response. "Fine, I'll call him and ask him to meet me here. Happy?"  
  
"Not really," answered Lucky with a wry grin.  
  
Gia reluctantly removed her cell phone from her purse. Punching the keypad with quick taps of her fingertip, she dialed a number that she had tried quite hard to forget. When the voice on the other end greeted her, Gia responded, "Nikolas, it's Gia. I was wondering if you might be able to meet me at Kelly's . . . Yeah, twenty minutes would be fine . . . See you then."  
  
No sooner had Gia dropped the phone back into the purse did Zander remark, "I'm honestly going to miss you."  
  
Using humor as her weapon against the sadness, Gia replied, "Zander, don't you make me cry. Because, if my mascara and eye liner start running down my face, you are gonna pay." Gia tossed Lucky a quick glance. "That goes for you, too."  
  
Lucky nodded his head as his mind raced back in time. After several seconds had passed in a comfortable silence, he remarked, "I can't believe I didn't like you when we first met."  
  
"Yeah, well, I didn't like you either, so I guess that makes us even."  
  
Zander chuckled lowly and added, "To be honest, I really hated you when we first met."  
  
"Again, the feeling was mutual," retorted Gia with a slight smile. Though she was doing her very best to make light of her impending departure, she was truly going to miss the friends she had unexpectedly made in Port Charles. Somewhere along life's twisted path, Port Charles had transformed itself from just another New York town to Gia's home. Laughing aloud, Gia added, "The more I think about it, Zander, the more I realize that I really hated you back then. You were such a punk."  
  
In Zander's defense, Lucky commented, "This coming from the girl that began her life in Port Charles as a blackmailing nanny."  
  
Gia, along with her two male companions, laughed softly as the last rays of the sun faded and the world outside Kelly's began to darken.  
  
Unnoticed by the reminiscing trio, Dillon led his newly discovered siblings into the diner. Opening his arms as though to encompass the entire room, Dillon declared, "Welcome to Kelly's - not exactly the hotspot of Port Charles, but you won't find a better burger in the state."  
  
Cassie attempted to mask her disdain for such a humble locale as she remarked, "How nice. Really, it looks quite comfortable."  
  
Dillon tossed his sister a skeptical glance before seating himself at an available table. "Yeah, I can tell you're real impressed."  
  
"It's just that it reminds me of a place that Ro- . . . our birth father's family owns. You know, small and cheap," explained Cassie. Sitting down directly across from Dillon, she continued, "Although, this place isn't near as homely as the pub."  
  
As he did far too often, Rex gave Cassie a stern glance to silently reprimand her behavior. He reluctantly sat down in one of the free chairs at the table and said, "That's all behind us now. Our life is here in Port Charles."  
  
"Of course," Cassie complied with a wicked smile. "Heaven forbid I even speak about our last home."  
  
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the level of tension, Dillon casually stated, "Okay, why don't I flag down a waitress and order those burgers now."  
  
Just as Penny approached the table to take the Quartermaines' orders, the front door of Kelly's swung open. With an air of superiority that would rival that of the most prestigious Cassadine or Quartermaine, Mrs. Sonny Corinthos entered. She quickly glanced around the establishment until she saw her mother appear behind the counter.  
  
Striding over to the end of the bar opposite that of Zander, Lucky, and Gia, Carly huffily perched herself upon a stool. She sighed dramatically before greeting, "Hi, Bobbie."  
  
"Hi, sweetheart," returned the older redhead. Having watched Carly's entrance as she herself exited the kitchen, Bobbie had instantly felt that something was wrong. And, Carly's obvious attempts to further draw attention to herself only increased Bobbie's motherly worries. "Carly, what's wrong?"  
  
"Sonny and I had another fight."  
  
"Then why are you here? Carly, if you really love Sonny . . ."  
  
Interrupting her mother with a fit of offended anger, Carly spat, "Of course I love Sonny! He's my [i]husband[/i]."  
  
"Fine, then go home and straighten out whatever mess has you so upset. You can't expect Sonny to come running after you every time you storm out of the penthouse."  
  
Carly opened her mouth to speak but quickly snapped it shut. She had wandered into Kelly's looking for some familial support. Yet, Carly had instead found the voice of reason - and she didn't feel like listening this time. "I'm leaving."  
  
Bobbie was given no time to protest as her daughter stomped across the room to make her exit. Shaking her head, Bobbie asked herself, "What am I going to do with that girl?"  
  
Carly was grouchily pushing the door open just as someone from outdoors was preparing to enter. Harshly slamming into the man, Carly looked up and found her level of annoyance only increasing. With surprising strength, she pushed the man to the side and muttered, "Get out of my way - before I send my uncle Luke after you with a stake."  
  
Nikolas felt his eyes involuntarily narrow as the blonde fiend disappeared around the corner of the building. To himself he muttered, "What a psycho."  
  
Attempting to enter Kelly's once more, Nikolas was relieved to find that no mob molls or Quartermaine exes were darting out of the building this time. Nearly as soon as he stepped inside, he spotted his brother and Gia across the room with Zander Smith. "As if my day wasn't bad enough already."  
  
Sitting down beside Lucky, Nikolas softly greeted, "Hello, everyone." He waited a moment for his companions to respond with the generic 'hi' before he said to his half-brother, "Have I ever mentioned how offensive your cousin is?"  
  
"My cousin?" Lucky muttered aloud. Realization dawning upon him, he muttered, "Oh, you mean Carly. Yeah, my dad's still trying to figure out how she hasn't ended back up in Ferncliff."  
  
Just when it seemed that the entire counter would fall into a bottomless pit of silence, Gia forced a smile on her face and hinted, "Zander, didn't you and Lucky just say that you both had a ton of things to get done before calling it a night?"  
  
Lucky smirked in spite of his sour mood. Subtlety had never been Gia Campbell's strong suit. Answering for Zander, he said, "Yeah, we really should be heading out." Lucky took a few steps away from the counter before he turned around and quietly said, "I'll see you around, Gia."  
  
"See ya, Lucky. Bye, Zander."  
  
Zander replied with a simple nod before following Lucky out of the building and leaving Nikolas and Gia with a bar stool and a world of memories between them.  
  
"So," began Gia. "I hear you managed to escape your wedding. Congratulations - I think."  
  
Nikolas smiled gently and tried to think of a reply. Gia's demeanor alone warned him that he was about to be hit by something. And, until he knew what was lurking just ahead, he couldn't think about anything else. "Not to be rude, but why did you call me?"  
  
"Gee, don't bother being subtle."  
  
"As I recall neither of us were ever very good at it, Sparky."  
  
Though she wanted nothing more than to keep her impending goodbye formal and detached, Gia found herself smiling when Nikolas used the pet name he had given her so long ago.  
  
"Okay, you want me to be direct?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"I'm leaving Port Charles. First thing tomorrow, I'm flying out."  
  
For a brief moment, Nikolas frowned. Then, his lips twisted into an uncertain smile. "You're joking, right? Come on, tell me what's really going on."  
  
"It's not a joke. I've decided to leave Port Charles. It's not like I ever really meant to stay here, Nikolas. If it hadn't been for meeting you while I was blackmailing Emily, I probably wouldn't have stayed in this town more than a week. I would have visited Marcus, then left."  
  
His smile long erased, Nikolas commented, "You're really leaving. This is goodbye." He rolled his head back as he began to place the pieces together. "That's why you were acting so weird when Lucky and Zander were here. They knew your plans to leave, and you were saying goodbye to them, too."  
  
For the umpteenth time that evening, Gia forced herself to not cry. She'd had numerous ups and downs while living in Port Charles, and she was determined to not leave on a down. No matter how much she was going to miss the city, Gia would not allow herself to cry about her own departure. Her life would go on - she'd make sure of it.  
  
More to himself than Gia, Nikolas commented, "It seems like the whole world is changing and I'm trapped in the center of the chaos. You're leaving town, Lucky has repeatedly had his heart crushed this past year, my uncle's made a return to Port Charles, and I very nearly got married. And, I've got a creepy suspicion that this is only the beginning of the changes in my life."  
  
Gia allowed herself to move over a bar stool so that she was seated directly to Nikolas' right. "You can't control everything Nikolas. No matter how hard you try, there are going to be things that even you can't fix."  
  
"I'm honestly going to miss you, Gia."  
  
"Yeah, well, I guess I'll miss you, too - even if you are a spoiled, bratty prince."  
  
Nikolas laughed softly and wrapped an arm around Gia's shoulders. His voice erupting in a tender whisper, Nikolas rhetorically asked, "How did we get here?"  
  
Gia allowed several minutes to pass with her head rested on Nikolas's shoulder and his arm encircling her. Mustering up the strength to let go of both the past and the present, Gia pulled away to begin her future. She smiled softly and said, "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone. You know, keep the corpses out of the freezer and all that stuff."  
  
Laughing once more, Nikolas answered, "I'll do my best."  
  
Before she had time to analyze her actions, Gia leaned forward and gave her former beau a quick kiss on the cheek. "Take care of yourself."  
  
Without another word, Gia turned away and walked out the front doors. The very second she was outside, she felt tears begin to slip down her cheeks. Peeking inside at Nikolas once more, Gia wiped away her tears and slightly smiled. "Goodbye, Nikolas." 


	3. Chapter 3

The time spent in the labs had been horrible for Rex. Never had he felt such distinct criticism - until now. As he stood in the Quartermaine living room, Rex could feel his new family members examining him and his twin sister, their eyes burning holes into him.  
  
Cassie took a tentative step closer to her brother when one of her newfound relatives began to approach.  
  
While Cassie wearily eyed Monica Quartermaine, Rex took a defensive step forward. The action was not one of deliberation but rather naive impulse. No matter their age, Rex would always feel instinctively drawn to protecting Cassie. And, if that meant guarding her from their mother's family, so be it.  
  
Monica stopped her approach when she realized that it had only succeeded in making the twins more nervous than they had been when Dillon led them through the front door. Though she had become a somewhat stern woman in recent years, Monica gave her best attempt at a welcoming smile. Clasping her hands together, she said with forced cheer, "We're all glad to finally meet you."  
  
The greeting earned Monica little more than an apprehensive stare from Rex and Cassie.  
  
Alan took his place at Monica's side and began his effort at salvaging the first meeting. "Monica's right; the family has been very excited about meeting the two of you." The stares shifted a few degrees to focus on Alan. Clearing his throat he continued, "Well, let me introduce you to everyone."  
  
As he finally began his own approach toward the newest Quartermaines, Alan said, "I'm Dr. Alan Quartermaine. Your mother is my sister." He then motioned toward his wife and continued, "This is my wife Dr. Monica Quartermaine. My mother Lila is in her room resting, and Skye is sitting with baby Kristina. But, let me introduce to everyone who's already here."  
  
Alan released a quick sigh when the duo finally directed their gazes away from him and began to inspect the room's other occupants. Nodding toward Ned, Alan continued with his introduction. "This is Tracy's oldest son Ned Ashton. And, you've already met Tracy's other son Dillon."  
  
Ned's smile apparently struck the pair as more sincere, for it was the first that they had bothered to return since entering the home.  
  
Taking over the introductions before his well-intentioned uncle could continue, Dillon said, "And, that guy over there is A.J., beside him is his sister Emily, and that old goat in the corner is our grandfather Edward."  
  
"That'll be enough out of you, young man," warned Edward as he finally acknowledged his grandchildren. "Now, let's get down to the issues at hand."  
  
"Edward . . ." Monica ineffectively cautioned.  
  
"Tracy didn't actually bother to tell this family where the two of you were coming from when she called. The shrew only said that she was shipping two more of her kids to this house."  
  
Dillon casually walked past Cassie and Rex and muttered, "Welcome to the jungle . . . it gets worse here every day."  
  
Pointing his finger toward Dillon, Edward growled, "I heard that. And, unless you would like me to enroll you at a military school, you had best show this family some respect."  
  
Breaking the self-imposed silence that he and Cassie had forced upon themselves, Rex firmly asked, "What issues did you wish to discuss, Mr. Quartermaine?"  
  
Rex's direct nature clearly surprised the older man and placed him in a position of unease. "Well, for starters, your education. You'd best not expect this family to just support you while you play hooky and run around town like a pair of menaces to society."  
  
"Father," reprimanded Alan. "That is enough."  
  
"Dad's right - for once," concurred A.J. "You've just met these kids. They shouldn't have to answer all your questions as soon as they walk through the door."  
  
Rex smiled cockily and walked boldly toward Edward. Keeping his steely eyes focused solely on his grandfather, Rex stated, "Actually, I don't mind answering Edward's questions. I believe he will be pleasantly surprised by what my sister and I have to say."  
  
"Oh, is that so?" Edward gruffly responded. He frowned as he realized that his daughter's delinquent children had been in his home less than fifteen minutes, and they were already making him ill at ease with their intense personalities.  
  
Cassie grinned as her brother took charge of the situation. As long as she had Rex by her side, she was beginning to think that life as a Quartermaine would not be too unbearable. Her maternal siblings seemed far less vile than her sister Sami Brady - not too mention that living as a Quartermaine would beat moving in with her working-class father Roman Brady.  
  
Answering Edward's question, Rex said, "I actually completed my college education in a year. So, unless you would like me to pursue a master's degree and then a doctorate, I'm satisfied with the formal education I received at Salem University."  
  
While Edward was still standing slack jawed, Cassie took the opportunity to explain her own educational background. "Unlike my genius brother here, I'm still in college. But, I did finish my first year of college at Salem U with a solid 4.0."  
  
"Don't let Cassie fool you," bragged Rex. "She got that 4.0 without even trying. She's amazingly smart."  
  
Turning the conversation around once more so that Rex would be the one in the limelight, Cassie declared, "He's just trying to be modest. Before we found out who our real parents were, Rex was actually preparing to help Tony run Dimera Enterprises."  
  
The smile quickly faded from Rex's face when Cassie mentioned their former father. For Rex his time in Salem was better left forgotten. Though he would never really get over leaving Mimi behind, he understood that he could never have survived emotionally if he had been forced into a life as Roman Brady's son.  
  
However, Edward was paying no attention to Rex or Cassie's facial expression as he, himself, did a complete turnabout. Smiling widely, Edward announced, "Well, whatever you children decide to do will be perfectly all right with this family. We only want you to be happy. In fact, Emily was just saying the other day that she wanted to take a class or two this fall at PCU. Cassie, perhaps you would like to go with her to register. I'll take care of all the financial arrangements."  
  
Moving his cunning gaze toward his newly acquired grandson, Edward said, "As for you, young man, I'd like you to consider working for E.L.Q. We're always on the lookout for young, bright minds such as yourself."  
  
"And, the fact that I have both a professional and personal history with Dimera Enterprises has nothing to do with this job offer, right?"  
  
Edward chose to ignore the definite sarcasm in Rex's voice and the grumblings that came from A.J.'s corner of the room.  
  
Saving Rex from Edward's motives, Ned stated, "I have a better idea. If it's alright with Cassie, we can go ahead and enroll her at PCU tomorrow. I have a feeling that the Admissions Office will be more than willing to help us with the last minute accommodations. And, then we can just let Rex and Cassie settle in before making any other major decisions."  
  
"That sounds great," declared Cassie with a smile that hinted at mischievousness. Glancing at Rex, she gave a quick, discreet wink. One thing was already abundantly clear: life as a Quartermaine would never be dull.  
  
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~  
  
Carly uncaringly traipsed along the waterfront, her thoughts in a state of muddled disarray. She felt as though she was trapped on the edge of a dangerously high cliff. There was no turning away from the edge she precariously balanced herself on, but she had an unsettling sense that someone - or something - was about to come along and give her a merciless push over the proverbial edge.  
  
The sensation had first hit her when she'd arrived back at the penthouse after an afternoon shopping trip. Sonny had given her a pacifying smile and gone about his business, but Carly had been able to sense the tension lurking behind the gesture.  
  
Her attempts as civil conversation were useless. Sonny had repeatedly found ways to either evade her topics of choice or simply ignore her entirely.  
  
Once Bobbie had arrived to take Michael to the Brownstone for the evening, Carly had released her fury upon her husband. With her usual flair of indignant rage, Carly had demanded to know what had happened to upset the man she had married. She loudly boasted that she could see when something was wrong.  
  
For his part, Sonny had remained surprisingly calm and collected when Carly first began her tangent. However, once he felt that her formerly wild accusations were transforming into frightfully accurate observations, Sonny fired back with his own brand of anger.  
  
They had stood arguing in the living room for more than fifteen minutes before Carly had irately grabbed her purse and stormed out the door. She left in her wake a shattered vase and a fuming spouse.  
  
Carly shook her head as though she were physically shaking away the thoughts of her earlier argument with Sonny. She tried to convince herself that it was just another one of their marital spats and that it would soon be little more than an amusing memory. Yet, there was a feeling in the pit of Carly's stomach that warned otherwise.  
  
Throughout the argument, Sonny had not once denied that he was hiding something. He merely chose to avoid his possible secret entirely, repeatedly turning the heated discussion back to Carly and her transgressions.  
  
After ten more minutes of walking along the water, Carly finally convinced herself that she should at least call Sonny and try to resolve whatever issues had led to their disagreement. While she was fumbling through her purse's contents in search of her cellular phone, Carly felt herself slam into another person.  
  
Carly began to mumble an insincere apology until she looked up and realized who she had bumped into. With a roll of her eyes, she grumbled, "What? Are you following me?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Nikolas replied with minor annoyance. Looking back toward the water, he could see that the ferry was nearing the launch. He only prayed that it would arrive before Luke Spencer's estranged niece ordered one of her husband's goons to toss him in the river along with a charming pair of cement shoes.  
  
Her cell phone forgotten, Carly snapped, "That's right. Excuse you."  
  
Before Nikolas could even process Carly's childish comments, the blonde had stormed away and disappeared around a corner. His gaze once more being directed at the water, Nikolas muttered, "That was strange."  
  
"Ahhh, Nikky, don't tell me you've taken up talking to yourself."  
  
Nikolas did not bother to turn around to look at his latest unwanted companion. "What do you want, Luke?"  
  
"How about a nice, juicy steak, a bottle of whiskey, and world rid of all you Cassadines."  
  
Nikolas refused to respond to Luke's snide remark. The two men had battled the same war for far too long. In the end, it always came back to one thing. One was a Spencer and the other was a Cassadine, and only a miracle could bring the two together in a manner that was anything but volatile.  
  
Realizing that Laura's son had only silence to offer as a response, Luke stated, "You know, kid, just when I started to think there might be hope for you, you went off and proved that you're just like that frozen papa of yours. Cold and heartless."  
  
Again, Luke was answered by only the sound of water lapping against the dock, Nikolas had not a word to say. Disappointed by his former stepson's lack of confrontational attitude, Luke finally opted to walk away and leave the young man alone to wait for the ferry to Spoon Island.  
  
Taking a deep breath of the warm summer air, Nikolas wearily thought over the events of his day. When he awoke that morning, he had been dutifully engaged to Lydia and envisioning a lonely, dull evening locked away in his bedroom at Wyndemere.  
  
However, that had all been lost along the winding path of what he had expected to be a typical Thursday. With the help of Alexis, Nikolas had found an alternative to marrying Lydia and had happily sent the heiress back to Europe. Then, in an attempt to escape his displeased uncle, Nikolas had ventured into town for a celebratory dinner at the Port Charles Grille.  
  
That was where he had been sitting when he received the phone call from Gia. Beginning there, his day had gone downhill. From learning that his former love was leaving town to having unpleasant encounters with not one but two Spencers, Nikolas's day had quickly gone from surprisingly nice to dreadfully disheartening.  
  
Only minutes after Nikolas finally made his departure from the dock, Cameron Lewis and his son began to walk along the water. The two had encountered each other at Kelly's purely by accident. The mere idea of purposely meeting seemed a bit unreasonable to both men. The damage to their relationship still had far too many repairs left.  
  
They had first kept the conversation light and casual, such as a pair of strangers would. However, that particular pattern crumbled when Cameron calmly stated that Zander's mother had called him earlier that day.  
  
Hurriedly turning to face his father, Zander demanded, "What did you tell her?"  
  
"Only that you were doing fine here in Port Charles and that you would visit her when you felt that it was right."  
  
"Good."  
  
"But," added Cameron.  
  
"But?"  
  
"You know your mother. She wasn't going to be satisfied by some vague answer concerning her baby boy. She began asking about things like where you were living and where you were going to school."  
  
Zander tiredly rubbed his face with his hands. He could feel a headache building as the conversation continued. This was why he and his father didn't have casual chats over coffee. "What did you say?"  
  
"I only told her that you were living on your own and working full-time."  
  
"How did she respond?"  
  
Cameron took a deep, fortifying breath before answering. The actual phone conversation had been difficult, but he fully realized that this discussion with his son was going to be even worse. "She made me promise to get you back in school. Your mother wants you to finish your college education, Alexander."  
  
"School's never really been my thing," grumbled the young man. "So, don't bother."  
  
"What if I made you a deal you couldn't refuse?"  
  
Zander sent an inquisitive look in his father's direction. Blackmail and bribery were not Cameron's usual tactics. He might make you feel guilty or apprehensive, but he seldom stooped down to a purely devious level. Doing his best to appear uninterested, Zander asked, "What makes you think I'd care about any deal you had to offer?"  
  
Cameron completely ignored Zander's last comment. "I happen to think that your mother is right. Attending college might be just what you need."  
  
"Okay, so where does this deal of yours come into the picture?"  
  
"For every dollar you spend from your college fund on your education, I will donate an equal amount to the Susan G. Komen Foundation."  
  
Zander openly laughed as he realized just how cunning his own father could be. He shook his head with frustrated amusement and commented, "You're not joking around, are you? I mean, man, you know exactly what my weaknesses are. My girlfriend is a breast cancer survivor, so you're holding a charitable donation over my head."  
  
"Contrary to what you may believe, I do care about you. I want to make sure that you don't look back on this time of your life with regrets. So, if it will secure your future, I am willing to pressure you into going back to school."  
  
"You've definitely been hanging around Alexis too much - you're beginning to sound like a Cassadine."  
  
Cameron forced himself to overlook the obvious slight his son directed at him. He would much rather Zander willingly go back to school, but he realized that all too often his son did the exact opposite of what was in his best interest.  
  
Zander's mind darted back to a recent conversation with Emily. She had mentioned that she would be taking a few classes at PCU. The imagined wheels in his mind began to spin at full throttle as Zander envisioned himself in a classroom setting with Emily. That just might be the one thought that would make school worth attending. With that idea in mind, he finally responded, "Fine, it's a deal."  
  
"It's a deal?" Cameron skeptically echoed.  
  
"Yeah. I'll get to spend extra time with Em, and it'll hopefully keep you off my back for a semester or two."  
  
Cameron smiled just slightly as he replied, "I think you're making the right decision." Pulling a slip of paper out of his jacket pocket, Cameron offered it to Zander. "Here are the numbers for the Admissions office at PCU and also their Housing office."  
  
"Housing?"  
  
"Yes, once you're officially accepted, they can arrange for you to move into one of the housing facilities on campus."  
  
Again, Zander released a frustrated laugh. "You've got to be kidding me. You can't actually expect me to move in with a bunch of giggly teenagers after I've spent this long living above a bar. That's crazy."  
  
An almost wicked, yet good-natured, smile crossed Cameron's lips. "Did I mention that all costs of living on campus would be included in the amount I matched for cancer research?"  
  
Zander merely shook his head. "I can't believe I'm going to do this."  
  
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~  
  
The dimly lit bar's air was polluted with a blend of cigarette smoke and horridly executed jazz music. In the corner farthest from the establishment's entrance, a lone figure sat nursing his drink.  
  
The dark-haired man kept his back to the door as he nervously tapped his glass of scotch with his fingertips. Though he generally portrayed himself as reckless and unconcerned, he was feeling neither of those traits on this late August night. Of all the cities in the world he wished to dwell, New York City was not one of them. It seemed just a little too close to home.  
  
Taking a sip of his almost forgotten drink, the man forced himself to take deep, relaxed breaths. However, he could not forget that his entire future - and in due course his true freedom - was completely dependent on the success of his meeting. A bad impression could quite possibly leave him with rather dismal prospects for his upcoming years. Among those prospects was a jail cell adjacent to a burly criminal looking for a new love interest.  
  
Before the man could further envision the bleak possibilities, a pair of shadows fell across the booth. With dread-inspired hesitance, the man turned his head to face his companions. Introductions simply weren't necessary.  
  
John Black and Shane Donavon sat down with a distinct air of indifference. Their unflappable attitudes were a quick warning that neither had any investments in the meeting. Regardless of the evenings outcome, neither of the man's companions would lose anything - therefore it was his sole duty to prove that by trusting him they would gain something. Above all else, he must prove his worth.  
  
"Gentleman," he greeted with false confidence. "I'm glad you could both meet with me."  
  
"No doubt," coolly responded Shane.  
  
John watched with mild amusement as the former criminal's facade began to crack. Both sides knew that this was the last chance. Either the man would be given a new lease on life or the ISA would turn him into the proper authorities and watch him be sentenced to a lengthy stay in Pentonville.  
  
"Yes, well, I thought offering my services to your organization would be more mutually beneficial than if I were to collaborate with the WSB or the FBI."  
  
Giving his trademark eyebrow lift, John curled his lips into a faint smile. "That's funny. Because, based on my previous discussions with the WSB, they don't trust you enough to hire you as a janitor at their lowest-level office - much less make you an actual agent. And, should they find out you kicking back in the Big Apple, I have a feeling they would be more than happy to make accommodations for you at the state penitentiary."  
  
The man casually threw his hands up as a sign of clear defeat. "Fine. You've got me. The ISA is my last option - but I have a feeling you guys know something the WSB doesn't."  
  
"Oh," replied Shane. "Why is that?"  
  
The man smirked and responded, "If you didn't think there was something I could offer, you'd never even bother meeting with me. This conversation would never happen if I wasn't of some value to the ISA."  
  
John momentarily considered lying. He toyed with the idea of telling the man that there was nothing the ISA wanted with him - but that simply wasn't the case. "You just might be right. However, that doesn't guarantee that our agency will actually choose to bring you onboard. Your past indiscretions have proven that you're needlessly reckless. That's not something that will be tolerated if we decide to employ you."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Good," declared Shane. Making a quick, unplanned decision, he continued, "Once a plausible story is arranged to explain your return to the United States, we'll contact you with travel and assignment information."  
  
The man felt certain that his jaw had dropped completely to the floor. In the blink of an eye, he had been given a chance at redemption.  
  
Rising from the booth, John stared down at the man with eyes stained by misgiving. Pushing aside the negative feelings, John simply stated, "Welcome to the ISA, Jerry." 


End file.
